The Official Publication of the Montour Trail Council MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER Celebrating 31 Years Volume 31 Issue 3 May-June 2020 Covid-19 Leads to Cancellation and Postponements of Trail Events A letter to our loyal users of the Montour Trail and the cyclists of the Tour the Montour After careful consideration and much deliberation, the unanimous decision by the Tour the Montour Planning Committee is to cancel the actual ride of the 18th Annual Tour the Montour in September of 2020. This is a disappointment to all of us as well as to many of our cyclists. We, however, feel this is the only responsible choice. These are unprecedented times. The economic impact of the global pandemic is visible even now, and we do not want to burden our sponsors at this time. Many riders will not be able to participate because of the loss of their jobs and income source. We do hope that all will support the businesses that have supported us in the past - as soon as it is safe to do so again. For 17 years the Tour the Montour has been a signature fundraising event for the Trail. Despite the cancellation of the actual ride, we are considering a virtual ride complete with t-shirts. Stay tuned this summer for details. The Montour Trail Council is very proud that the Trail has remained open and has been there during this crisis for all to use. Consider making a donation, and, if you are not already a member, join us to help the Trail remain the great asset it is. See Montourtrail.org for info on becoming a member and/or Inside this issue: donating. The Trail has been there for you during this unbelievable time, so please be there Covid-19 Pus Damper on for the Trail. 1 Trail Events The Prez Sez 2 We hope you continue to enjoy the Trail. Remember socially distancing-outside as Photo Winner well as inside. Be safe, be healthy. The Peters Creek Stone 4 New Tunnel I-79 Overpass 5 Sincerely, Thank you Bill Capp The Tour the Montour Planning Committee Montour RR History: 6 Telephones New Members 7 In Memory of At the Peters Friends Group online meeting, the decision was made to cancel Trail Map 8 the TTW (Twilight Trail Walk) scheduled for this July. Because of the Pandemic, it is very unlikely that groups this size would be allowed or advisable in that time frame. We have not ruled out a Fall event on a smaller scale should conditions for social gatherings improve significantly by that time. The JR Taylor 5K in Bethel Park and the National Tunnel 10K, 5K and 2 mile walk have also been put on hold. Visit the Montour Trail Web Site at: www.montourtrail.org To converse go to: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/43518292159 PAGE 2 May-June 2020 MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER Volume 31 Issue 3 The Prez Sez Break on Through Well, we have been getting through the pandemic for a few months now. I hope that all of you and your families and friends are well, and will continue so. We are fortunate that most of us have, or have access to, the MONTOUR TRAIL COUNCIL needed essentials to keep our lives going, albeit with much creativeness, BOARD OF DIRECTORS patience, and caution. Beyond ourselves, though, life is possible largely due to Ned Williams President a host of people working behind the scenes, not only in medicine and public Phillip Torrez Vice-President safety, but those who labor diligently to assure continuity of our food supply, Braden Ditch Treasurer uninterrupted utilities, and other parts of the vast and complex supply chain Deb Thompson Secretary that keep us going. In these times we’ve come to feel much more appreciation Jen Mosesso 2020-2022 for all these “first line” folks, echoing in our hearts the public celebrations Jim Richter 2020-2022 expressing thanks to them. Dave Tetrick 2020-2022 Don Thobaben 2020-2022 Deb Thompson 2020-2022 But we know something beyond all that: the great importance Braden Ditch 2019-2021 of healthy outdoor recreation to the overall well-being of a person – or a Patricia Friedsam 2019-2021 Mark Imgrund 2019-2021 society. Keeping parks and trails open was, and is, the obvious thing to do Jack Kun 2019-2021 in support of the public’s health. As you recall, back in March the criteria Dennis Pfeiffer 2019-2021 allowing businesses to be open was that they supply “life sustaining” Phillip Torrez 2019-2021 Dave Borrebach 2018-2020 products or services. The past two months has shown that the trails are Mark Modispacher 2018-2020 “life sustaining” in the largest sense, not only in the opinion of us as trail Peter Kohnke 2018-2020 David Oyler 2018-2020 operators but to virtually all public entities calling the shots and issuing Tom Prezel 2018-2020 public pronouncements. They all recommended outdoor exercise as a Ned Williams 2018-2020 counterbalance to the long hours spent inside. And people did come out onto the trails in unprecedented numbers, as we have seen. The trails are set to THE MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER come out of this thing looking like a wise and highly valued investment in Is published bi-monthly January through December. societal-scale wellness. All Trail-letter correspondence should be addressed to: MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER Suite 3 2nd Floor All of you folks reading this have a strong belief in the value of 304 Hickman Street outdoor activities. That’s why we choose to spend so much of our time Bridgeville, PA 15017 and energy in support of the Montour Trail. Across the board, - in trail Or E-mail to: maintenance, construction, planning, recruiting members and volunteers, [email protected] strengthening the organization, fundraising, and administering the whole All other trail correspondence should be addressed: enterprise – we work pretty hard to present a fine trail facility to the public. MONTOUR TRAIL COUNCIL It’s especially clear in these times that all of you are the front line workers in Suite #3 2nd Floor keeping the trail viable, bolstering the public’s well being. We are volunteers, 304 Hickman Street but are as life sustaining as the first line workers who get the headlines. As Bridgeville, PA 15017 your president, I am most grateful to all of you for sticking with it, even in the MONTOUR TRAIL COUNCIL midst of all the other things we have to be concerned with just now. PHONE NUMBER 412-257-3011 Volunteer crews have been at work all along the trail, starting with Administrative Manager Phyllis McChesney springtime cleanup and initial mowing. Substantial drainage improvements [email protected] were made in Cecil, the Airport area, and especially along the Montour- Panhandle connector. A new truck was purchased to facilitate better trail NEWSLETTER EDITORIAL TEAM re-surfacing. New trail construction has resumed at Piney Fork in late May, Dennis Sims, managing editor continues on page 3 Mark Imgrund Dennis Pfeiffer The Montour Trail Council is an all-volunteer organization founded in 1989 to convert the abandoned Montour Railroad right of way and the abandoned Peters Creek Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad into a 55 mile recreational trail for non-motorized activity regardless of physical ability or financial wherewithal. Volume 31 Issue 3 MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER May-June 2020 PAGE 3 Friends’ Meetings and Work Parties MTC Board Meeting: Peters Township Friends: (MP 28.5 to 30.4, Library Jct to near Every third Monday of the month - 6:00 p.m. at 304 Hickman MP 35 and part of the Bethel Branch) St., Suite 3, Bridgeville, PA. Turn right off of the Bridgeville Friends of the Trail Meeting, first non-holiday Monday of exit of I-79. Turn left at the next light, go straight at next light the month at Peters Township Community Recreation and make left turn onto Hickman St. just after the Post Office. Center and varying locations during warmer weather at Call the Montour Trail Office for more information or to get on 7:00 p.m. Work and cleanup parties on the first Frida and the agenda. third Saturday of every month at 8:30 a.m. For more Airport Area Friends: (MP 0 to MP 12.6 and the 6.3 mile information, please call Jim Robbins at 724-941-6132 For Airport Connector) The Airport Area Friends of the Trail monthly meetings contact Wayne Pfrimmer at 724-747- meet every second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. 9766 or by email at [email protected] at the Forest Grove Fire Hall, 2044 Ewings Mill Road, Bethel Park Friends: (The 2.75 mile Bethel Branch and a short Robinson Township, PA 15108. New volunteers are piece of main line trail around MP 35). Friends of the Trail always welcomed. Contact Phyllis McChesney at 412-264- meeting, every first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in 6303 for more information. Numerous “work parties” the Bethel Park Municipal Building Caucus Room behind are held during the season. Please call 412-262-3748 to the Council Chambers. Anyone interested in the Bethel Park lend a hand at the work parties. Trail segment is encouraged to come. Work and cleanup Fort Cherry Friends: (MP 12.6 to MP 20.7) party, every second and fourth Saturday of the month - 8:30 Friends of the Trail meeting: Second Wednesday of the a.m. Call Bob O’Connell at 412-833-6259 for location and month at 6:30 p.m. at the McDonald Trail Station, 160 information.